What is Medical Tourism and What Can MedCareLink Do for You?

You may have heard of Medical Tourism and wondered what exactly is it?

Medical tourism is the practice of traveling to another country in order to receive medical treatment. The medical treatment could be heart surgery, cosmetic surgery, orthopedic surgery, cancer treatment, or even dental work.

Even though Medical Tourism may seem like a new trend to the western world, it is not a new concept. Thousands of years ago, Greek pilgrims traveled from all over the Mediterranean to the small territory in the Saronic Gulf called Epidauria. This territory was the sanctuary of the healing God Asklepios. Epidauria became the original travel destination for Medical Tourism.

However, only recently has Medical Tourism begun to take root in the western world. Thanks to Internet technology, more affordable international travel, and major advances in medical science, Medical Tourism is becoming less of a novelty and more of a global trend.

Why choose Medical Tourism as an alternative solution to your healthcare needs?

• Cost Savings
  Depending on the location and medical procedure, a medical vacation can cost a fraction of what you would pay at home. Even when you factor in airfare, hotels, travel insurance, car rentals, shopping, and dining, many medical vacations are substantially more affordable than domestic health care. For example, open heart surgery can cost you over $100,000 in the U.S. and only around $10,000 in a country such as India where lower labor costs help drive down prices considerably. The same is true in popular Medical Tourism destinations such as Thailand, China, Malaysia, or Taiwan.
   
• Long Wait Times
  Countries such as Canada or the UK have long wait times for certain medical procedures. For instance, to receive a hip replacement in Canada, one would have to wait 26 weeks. Imagine being restricted to bed or a sofa for 26 weeks when you could travel to India or Thailand and receive a hip replacement within a month or less.
   
• High-Quality Healthcare
  Many of the doctors and surgeons that offer healthcare services to international patients are trained and certified in Western countries, such as United States and Great Britain.  Medical centers all over the world have acquired accreditation from well-known international organizations such as JCI, JCAHO and ISO to express their dedication to excellence.  Many clinics and hospitals abroad are members of the NIH (National Institutes of Health), which is a federal agency that gives leadership and financial support to researchers in the field of medicine and health.
   
• Alternative Treatment
  Some medical and dental destinations offer procedures that are unavailable in certain Western countries. Hip resurfacing, for example, was only recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, even though it had been available in India for quite some time. Furthermore, China is leading the world in Stem Cell Research and Treatment. Many of these treatments are restricted in other countries.
   
• Improved Flight and Communication Services
  Most procedures performed abroad can be scheduled via the Internet or by phone. People have the flexibility to book flights and schedule surgery procedures from the comfort of their own home. This eliminates the inconvenience of going to the hospital or clinic for evaluations and assessments. The only time a person has to leave their house is on the day or week of the surgery, or procedure.
   
• Travel Opportunities
  Even though Medical Tourism is about obtaining medical care, a side benefit of Medical Tourism is having the opportunity to travel to another country. For some medical tourists, especially those seeking dental care, cosmetic care, or wellness treatments, they can enjoy the opportunity to travel overseas in addition to receiving less expensive healthcare.  

So what does MedCareLink do?

MedCareLink is a U.S. based medical referral company. We assist individuals who are looking for alternative healthcare solutions. We help those individuals who are under insured, do not have access to healthcare, have high out of pocket expenses, or have long wait times. We partner with internationally accredited hospitals and clinics around the world. We will introduce you to highly trained and educated doctors and surgeons who work in state-of-the-art facilities that utilize the most advanced medical technologies in the world. 

We understand that choosing a healthcare provider for surgery is one of the most important decisions you will ever make in your life. We want to be able to help you make the best viable decision you possibly can by providing you with the information you will need. We pride ourselves on our "humanistic" approach in assisting you.

Want to know more?

Contact us today to learn more about how MedCareLink can help you. Feel free to contact us by filling out the form below or, if you are in the USA or Canada, call us toll free at 1.888.832.2089. If you are calling from an international location, please dial us directly at 1.949.783.6827.